Prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm in patients with occlusive peripheral vascular disease.

Over a 1-year period, 242 patients with peripheral vascular disease underwent abdominal ultrasonography to detect the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. In 34 (14 per cent) an abdominal aortic aneurysm was found; half of these aneurysms were greater than 4 cm in diameter. In addition, 16 patients had ectatic aortas. Abdominal aortic aneurysms were more common in men than in women (17 versus 8 per cent). Patients with claudication were as likely to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm as those with rest pain or gangrene. The presence of aortoiliac occlusive disease increased the chance of an aneurysm being present (P less than 0.02). Patients with occlusive peripheral vascular disease are a high-risk group with regard to the development of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Patients with proximal occlusive disease represent a subgroup at even higher risk.